Creative calendars to inspire you for 2016

2016 is coming in a few short days, so how are you planning on keeping track of the time in the new year? Out of necessity, we all pay attention to this particular measurement of our lives, but that doesn’t mean it has to be done in a boring way.

Designers have been creating increasingly interesting ways to track their days. Here are our favorite takes on 2016 calendars.

1. POSTALCO’s One Year Wall Calendar

Easily hung up on your wall, POSTALCO’s simple vintage design allows a bit of space each day for the viewer to input only the most important of life notes. $14 at Need Supply Co.

2. Slanted’s “Willkommen in der Zukunft!”

Based on the work of illustrator Frank R. Paul, this pulp-themed calendar from Slanted was designed as a limited edition corporate gift in an extra-large format.

3. O.OO Risograph Printing’s 2016 calendar

Risography is definitely the print trend of 2015/16 — and this 1980s chic color scheme and stencil-styling mimics the riso take on an online zine. But on your real-world wall. About $20 at O.OO Risograph Printing.

4. Perpetual Calendar’s Workhorse Printmakers

Though technically not a 2016 calendar, we do like the idea of a well-designed letterpress piece that will stick with you through a bunch of years. And this is a great version of the concept, with classic texture and typography. $22.95 at Perpetual Calendar.

5. Ditto Ditto’s 2016 Letterpress Animal Calendar

This may be targeted towards the parent set, but it’s so cute and clever that there are a lot of other people out there who would want these animals for their desks. Each month is represented by an an animal that converts into a standing paper piece! $16.40 at Ditto Ditto

6. HWAL’s Forgotten Calendar

By inserting slips of tracing paper over one another, this calendar is designed to refer to the fading of our memories and the blurring of time in a beautifully simple and graphic way. See more photos of HWAL’s calendar design on Behance.

7. Stroomberg’s Cube Calendar

Here’s a redesign of the desktop tear-off calendar, a tactile and interactive gridded cube that reveals a quote per day, one by one, from Stroomberg.

8. Crispin Finn’s 2016 Year Planner

This limited-edition embossed, 2-color screenprint is produced on biodegradable paper and features school-throwback style typography with a organized design. What a mouthful! Yet is another great option to hang high on your wall, with a place to mark each day with an “X” as you move through the year. £15.00 at Crispin Finn.

9. Cats Let Nothing Darken Their Roar

Editions of this clever calendar have been in print for more than ten years now, for a reason. The name of each month is hidden within a simple and silly phrase, with a Scandinavian design produced in Finland — a bold font, simple color scheme, and not much else to distract. $39 at Cats Let Nothing.

10. Anagraphic’s anaptár 2016

Time is a circle, certainly with this award-winning series of calendars that manage to in great detail show the lunar cycle in an infographic-inspired print from Anagraphic.

11. Essie Letterpress’ Artists Almanac 2016

Essie Letterpess’ elegant calendar from South Africa features an illustration by a different designer for each month — all with clearly distinct design styles that nonetheless produce a unified standing teller-of-time for your desktop.

12. Bird Plus Bird’s Silhouettes 2016 Calendar

Part of a series of multiple annual calendars that feature quaint depictions of our favorite aviators, is this pennant-style calendar hangs by a simple wood and string frame. $20.98 at the BirdPlusBird Etsy shop.

Know of any other beautifully designed 2016 calendars? Share your favorites in the comments!

The author

Kaitlyn is part of the Community Team at 99designs.com. She grew up in Boulder, CO and went to school at Northwestern University in Chicago. When she's not blogging, she spends her time having adventures and being generally creative. She's all about having new experiences as often as possible!